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Lokara's avatar
Lokara
5 years ago

Mass Effect 2 LE minimizing to desktop (PC)

Mass Effect 2 keeps minimizing to the desktop after launch. The launcher opens fine, but the game doesn't seem to have focus when I open a saved game. Pressing a key on my keyboard does nothing, but clicking causes Shepard to shoot if he is in an area with a gun out and the game to minimize. Trying to restore the window at this point leads to it maximizing briefly to a black screen, and I can hear the game music playing.

As suggested in previous topics, I have tried deleting the Mass Effect 2 config files, running the game after a clean reboot with no programs other than Origin or EA Desktop running, and turning off my second monitor. None of these have had any effect. For a time, repairing the game files through Origin would fix the issue for one run of the game, but that doesn't seem to be working any longer. All drivers on my computer are up to date.

Thank you in advance for any help you can offer.

me legendary edition

10 Replies

  • TheLastCouncilo's avatar
    TheLastCouncilo
    5 years ago

    I have this issue with ME2 a lot. There's a patch on the way soon. Hopefully, it is addressed. Just hang in there.

  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    5 years ago

    @Lokara  Try disabling Origin in-game (and obviously while playing through Origin): hover over your username, select Application Settings, then the Origin in-game header, and disable the option at the top.

    If that doesn't help, please try fullscreen, borderless, and windowed modes, and let me know whether the problem is present in all three.

    Please also run a dxdiag and attach it to a post.

    https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/pc/how-to-gather-dxdiag-information/

    And let me know whether you've modded your game or added any graphics enhancement utilities like ReShade.

  • I_Am_Astreas's avatar
    I_Am_Astreas
    5 years ago
    @puzzlezaddict I faced exactly the same issue, with the borderless and windowed mode the game is losing focus instead of minimizing, the issue happened on every origin overlay announcement like about friends activity or new achievements unlocked.
  • Lokara's avatar
    Lokara
    5 years ago

    Thank you for your response. Disabling Origin in-game didn't have any effect. However, running the game in borderless or windowed mode works perfectly; the issue only appears in fullscreen mode. I am not running any mods or enhancements, and I have attached a dxdiag.

  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    5 years ago

    @Lokara  Personally, I'd just play in borderless and call it a day, but then I use borderless in every game that supports it.  If you want to get fullscreen working though, try disconnecting your Citrix adapter.  (Restart afterwards.)

    If that doesn't help, try playing in a clean boot.

    https://www.windowscentral.com/how-clean-boot-windows-10

    When you reboot, go through the Task Manager's background processes list and kill anything that doesn't absolutely need to be running—some programs don't get disabled in a clean boot.  In particular, GPU Tweak and another Asus program have been crashing, and you technically don't need either one.

    @I_Am_Astreas  You can disable the Origin overlay as well, or just disable notifications.  The options are under Application Settings > Notifications.

  • Domikynas's avatar
    Domikynas
    4 years ago

    Yeah, how exactly do you turn it borderless if you can't even play the game? It keeps minimizing regardless of which version you select.

  • IqaNoX's avatar
    IqaNoX
    4 years ago

    i have the problem with ms1...minimize and crash for me on desktop after 5-10 minutes randomly. and need restart the game

  • PakunaMatata's avatar
    PakunaMatata
    4 years ago
    @Domikynas If it’s minimizing, something is probably asserting priority over mass effect (no relation to CPU priority). My recommendation would be to boot your system clean (no extra startup programs, just Windows and nothing else) and turn off notifications and then add programs back in until you find the one that is causing the minimizing.
  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    4 years ago

    @Domikynas  The file that holds the setting is in GamerSettings.ini, which is located here:

    [install path]\Mass Effect Legendary Edition\Game\MEX\BioGame\Config

    where X is the specific game, i.e. 1, 2, or 3.

    You'll see a value for Fullscreen and another for Borderless.

  • XxMaexX's avatar
    XxMaexX
    4 years ago
    @Lokara Hope this Helps.
    1- Check your Windows Display Settings.
    2- Open your ME2 Config folder @ \Steam\steamapps\common\Mass Effect Legendary Edition\Game\ME2\BioGame\Config\
    3- Right-Click the file named GamerSettings.ini and select Edit from the menu.
    4- Scroll down until you find the line that reads for example:
    ResX=1920
    ResY=1440
    5- Change the X/Y values to match your Windows Display resolution.
    6- Restart the game.

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